Laser marking system for dice carried in trays and method of operation
A laser marking system for IC packages including a tray input shuttle assembly and a tray transport borne by a transport actuator for moving a tray carrier carrying a tray of unmarked packaged ICs received from the tray input shuttle assembly to a tray output shuttle assembly over a transport actuator path extending under an open-bottomed enclosure of a laser marking station. The tray input shuttle assembly, laser marking station and tray output shuttle assembly each has associated therewith a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the tray carrier relative to the transport so as to facilitate tray loading of the tray carrier from the tray input shuttle assembly, insertion and withdrawal of the tray carrier bearing a tray of packaged ICs for marking into and out of the marking station and unloading of a tray of marked packaged ICs from the tray carrier to the output shuttle assembly.
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This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/217,040, filed Dec. 21, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,484, issued Jul. 9, 2002, and is also related to U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/219,501 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,459), 09/217,032; (now U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,244,569), 09/217,029 (now U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,287,068) and 09/217,039 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,388), by the same inventors, filed on even date therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to marking of semiconductor dice bearing integrated circuits (ICs) and, more specifically, to a system for laser-marking exterior surfaces of dice carried in large groups on trays and a method of system operation.
Since the first packaged integrated circuits (ICs) became commercially available, manufacturers have often found it necessary to identify packaged ICs by marking each IC or packaged assembly of ICs with the manufacturer's name, a part or serial number, or other identifying information such as a lot number or a wafer and/or die location. As the majority of ICs are packaged individually in a transfer-molded filled polymer compound, most current marking systems have been developed for this type of IC packaging.
Manufacturers initially marked packaged ICs using mechanical ink transferring devices, such as stamps or rollers, with or without stencils, to transfer ink to the surface of an IC. One example of an ink-marking apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,361 to Grant et al. Because of the mechanical nature of the process and the drying time associated with ink, ink stamping systems are relatively slow and the applied ink susceptible to smudging. Also, the quality of ink-stamped marks on packaged ICs can vary substantially over time and from IC to IC due to variations in the quality and quantity of ink applied, ambient temperature and humidity, and the condition and finish of the surface of the stamp and the package.
Because of the deficiencies associated with ink stamping, manufacturers have in recent years switched to using a laser beam to mark the surface of a packaged IC. Unlike ink stamping, laser marking is very fast, requires no curing time, produces a consistently high quality mark, and can take place at any point in the manufacturing process.
Various machines and methods have been developed for marking ICs with a laser. As illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,077 to Tsuruta, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,204 to Nakamura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,144 to Latta, Jr., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,025 to Carlson, a packaged IC is placed in a position where a laser beam, such as that produced by a carbon dioxide or neodymium-yttrium-aluminum garnet laser, inscribes various characters or other information on a package surface. The laser beam burns away a small amount of material on the surface of the IC package so that the area where the characters are to appear has a different reflectivity from the rest of the package surface. By holding the packaged IC at a proper angle to a light source, the characters inscribed on the device by the laser can be read.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,270 to Canella (“the '270 Patent”), assigned to the assignee of the present invention and hereby incorporated herein by this reference, discloses yet another laser marking system which is operable at high throughput volumes and makes substantially constant use of a marking laser by use of a multi-track IC feed, marking and inspection procedure. While highly successful, the laser marking system of the '270 Patent feeds singulated, packaged ICs from tubular magazines along two parallel, inclined tracks to a marking zone, after which the marked devices are then automatically inspected and either discarded or re-loaded into other tubular magazines at the output ends of the tracks.
Recently developed IC packages, however, are now much-reduced in size, thickness and dimensions of individual features, such as leads for external connection to higher-level packaging. One example of such state-of-the-art IC packages is a thin plastic package configuration identified as a Thin Small Outline Package, or TSOP. Another is a Thin Quad Flat Pack, or TQFP. By way of comparison, such packages are dimensioned with a total package thickness, excluding lead fingers, of less than about one-half the thickness of a conventional plastic Small Outline J-lead package, or SOJ, such as would be marked in the above-described system of the '270 Patent. These newer IC packages, with their smaller dimensions and more fragile components, are much more susceptible to inadvertent damage in handling than prior package designs and, at best, are only marginally robust enough for handling in tubular magazines and by singulated feed-through processing equipment. As a result, the industry has gravitated to processing such relatively delicate IC packages in batches carried in recesses of rectangular trays, one example of which is so-called JEDEC trays. Other, even smaller IC packages under current development and most recently introduced to the market include so-called “chip scale” IC packages. These packages, having dimensions approximating those of a bare IC die itself and employing extremely minute external connection elements, also are desirably handled in trays. It is contemplated that such chip scale packages may be desirably laser marked on the bare, or thinly coated, backside of the die itself in instances where packaging is largely intended to protect and seal the active surface at the die sides and primarily extends over the sides and active (front) surface of the die. Accordingly, as used herein, the terms “IC package,” “packaged IC” or “IC” include not only conventional polymer-encapsulated dice but any dice incorporating sufficient structure to effect operative connection to a higher level package such as a circuit card, or to another die.
In addition to the aforementioned difficulties with marking thin, reduced-dimension IC packages using tubular magazines and inclined tracks, feeding and marking singulated IC packages, even when grouped for marking, are time-consuming and fraught with potential for workpiece jamming somewhere on the tracks. Further, such an approach requires numerous sensors to verify passage of individual IC packages, location of individual IC packages for marking and inspection, and counting of IC packages to ensure full output magazines, but not magazine overfilling and jamming of the handling equipment for same. Further, movable stops are required to locate and release the IC packages at numerous locations and so, along with the proliferation of sensors, necessitate a somewhat complex and relatively expensive control apparatus for reliable system operation.
Another disadvantage of conventional laser marking systems lies in a safety requirement that the IC packages be enclosed in a laser light-secure enclosure to prevent injury to personnel from the laser beam. Such conventional laser marking systems employ a workpiece path extending in a single plane through the marking station, thus requiring movable access shutters which must be manipulated, resulting in additional system cost and reducing throughput due to the time lost in opening and closing the shutters for entry and exit of groups of IC packages as well as adding another timed operation to the sequence of events in the marking process.
While trays facilitate moving large batches of packaged ICs while minimizing the risk of physical damage from handling, a problem with using trays to carry IC packages for marking is the need to deal with a wide range of tray-to-part tolerances. Thus, it would be necessary to orient the IC packages in the tray recesses to a common corner of each tray pocket to obtain a repeatable marking of all the IC packages in the tray. It would also be necessary to ensure that trays carrying IC packages are received in various handling and processing mechanisms in the correct orientation, so that the IC packages themselves will be properly oriented.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a mechanically and electrically straightforward, tray-based laser marking system which provides high, reliable throughput.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention includes a tray-based laser marking system providing input and output tray singulation, pin one and part in tray verification, a laser-safe enclosure housing a laser marking device, mark presence verification and consistent IC package orientation.
In one embodiment, the laser marking system of the present invention includes a tray input shuttle assembly and a tray transport borne by a transport actuator for moving a tray carrier carrying a tray of unmarked packaged ICs received from the tray input shuttle assembly to a tray output shuttle assembly over a transport actuator path extending under an opened-bottom enclosure of a laser marking station. The tray input shuttle, the laser marking station and the tray output shuttle each have respectively associated therewith a lift mechanism for raising and lowering a tray or the tray carrier vertically with respect to the transport so as to facilitate loading of the tray carrier with a tray from a stack of trays on the tray input shuttle assembly, insertion and withdrawal of a tray carrier bearing a tray of unmarked packaged ICs for marking within the enclosure of the laser marking station and unloading of a tray of marked IC packages from the tray carrier onto a stack of trays on the output shuttle assembly. The unloaded tray carrier is then returned on the tray transport by the transport actuator to the tray input shuttle assembly to receive another tray of unmarked packaged ICs.
In another embodiment, the present invention includes a shuttle assembly suitable for delivering trays to, or receiving trays from, a transport. The shuttle assembly is configured to manipulate trays in a vertically stacked arrangement through the use of a frame defining a rectangular tray stack volume and supporting a tray support element initiator proximate each corner of the tray stack volume. The tray support element initiators may be controlled in common, each initiator driving a tray support element which may be spring-biased toward an extended position intersecting a boundary of the tray stack volume. When a stack of trays is supported proximate its corners by location of the extended tray support elements under the lowermost tray, it may be removed from the shuttle assembly by extension of a lift structure of a lift mechanism into supporting contact under the lowermost tray, whereupon the tray support elements may be retracted, the tray stack lowered the depth or thickness of one tray, the tray support elements re-extended, and the lift structure with lowermost tray further lowered onto a tray carrier for horizontal movement by a transport actuator out from under the tray stack. Similarly, when a tray carrier bearing a tray enters a tray stack volume of a shuttle assembly, a tray may be lifted off the tray carrier into supporting contact with a lowermost tray of a stack by extension of a lift structure of a lift mechanism, the tray support elements retracted and the lifted tray with supported stack of trays lifted the depth or thickness of a single tray, the tray support elements then being re-extended to support all of the trays of the stack.
Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a wedge-type lift mechanism suitable for controlled raising and lowering of a tray or tray carrier within the horizontal boundaries of a tray stack volume. The lift mechanism includes a horizontally movable drive wedge element having an upper inclined surface and a slave wedge element having a lower inclined surface slidingly supported on the drive wedge element upper inclined surface. Horizontal movement of the slave wedge element is constrained while vertical movement is permitted, so that horizontal movement of the drive wedge element raises or lowers the slave wedge element. A lift structure extending upwardly from the slave wedge element may be employed to engage a tray supported by the tray carrier for lowering or raising one or more trays with respect to the tray carrier such as, for example, when loading or unloading trays at a shuttle. The lift mechanism is also suitable for effecting controlled vertical movement of the tray carrier off of and back onto a tray transport such as, for example, to move the tray carrier respectively into and out of an enclosure at a laser marking station.
Still another embodiment of the invention includes self-aligning, cooperative tray carrier and tray transport configurations to ensure precise, repeatable alignment of the tray carrier with the tray transport through gravity alone when a tray carrier which has been raised off the transport is again lowered into supporting contact therewith. Another, optional, feature of the mutually cooperative configurations of the tray carrier and tray transport permits the tilting of the tray carrier while still supported on the transport so as to effect precise alignment of IC packages carried in rectangular recesses on a tray on the tray carrier with respect to common alignment points (i.e., the same corner of each tray recess) to facilitate repeatability of the IC package surface location being marked on each IC package borne by the tray. Such alignment may be further enhanced by vibration or tapping of the tray carrier while in a tilted orientation.
An additional embodiment of the invention includes a laser marking station housing a laser marking head within a walled, substantially bottomless enclosure defining an opening into which a tray carrier bearing a tray of IC packages to be marked may be raised to place the tray at correct laser focal length and effect complete (laser) light containment within the enclosure using the tray carrier to effect closure of the opening.
Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a method of operation of the laser marking system of the invention.
Referring now to
A plurality of vertically stacked trays 200 is depicted at both input shuttle assembly 12 and output shuttle assembly 14, the structure and operation of each shuttle assembly being described in more detail below. Also depicted (see
A downwardly aimed inspection camera 30 as shown on the upstream side of laser marking station 18 may be employed to verify pin one location and thus proper orientation for the packaged ICs 202 in a tray 200 passing thereunder on tray carrier 22, as well as part in tray verification to ensure that each tray 200 is fully loaded with packaged ICs 202 for marking. A similar camera 30 on the downstream side of laser marking station 18 may be employed to verify the presence of laser markings on each packaged IC 202 of a tray 200 which has been processed in laser marking station 18. A tray 200 is preferably stopped twice (and moved a half-tray length between stops) under downstream camera 30 for mark inspection, as packaged ICs 202 in each longitudinal half of each tray 200 are substantially concurrently marked in a separate laser field by a different, separately (different circuit) controlled laser head of laser marking station 18. Most preferably, marking of the last IC package in each field is checked on the logical premise that satisfactory marking of the last package would not take place if any failure in the laser or beam control circuitry had previously occurred. This sampling approach to inspection achieves the required quality assurance for the marking process with a substantial time savings over inspecting every marked IC package. High-intensity lights (not shown) may be provided at the two camera locations to facilitate inspection.
Transport actuator 16 preferably comprises an IAI Corporation Model 12EX-35-100 Intelligent Actuator, a 1000 mm programmable stepper. Transport actuator 16 may be programmed (by way of example only and not limitation) for use with laser marking system 10 to six (6) positions: tray input, tray check (pin one location and tray full load verification), marking, dual mark check (one for each half of the tray, as described above) and tray output. This particular approach to transporting a tray carrier 22 was selected due to the precise longitudinal positional accuracy provided at each position. Other, alternative approaches to tray transport providing equivalent positional accuracy may be employed instead.
Input shuttle assembly 12 and output shuttle assembly 14 as depicted in
In unloading trays 200 from tray carrier 22 at output shuttle assembly 14 after passage through laser marking station 18, side plates 80 of a lift structure 78 of a wedge-type lift mechanism 60 are vertically extended through elongated side notches 132 of a tray carrier 22 aligned with the tray stack volume 46 of output shuttle assembly 14 and carrying a tray 200 of marked packaged ICs 202 to raise that tray 200 into supporting contact with a lowermost (or only) tray 200 already in tray stack volume 46 and supported by tray support elements 50 of output shuttle assembly 14. Tray support element actuators 47 are then initiated to retract tray support elements 50, the stack of trays 200 lifted the thickness of one tray 200 (again, for example, 0.25 inch), and tray support element actuators 47 are deactivated to extend tray support elements 50 into downwardly facing notches 206 of the lowermost tray 200 just lifted from tray carrier 22 and support the stack of trays 200. Of course, if there are no trays at output shuttle assembly 14 when a tray carrier 22 bearing a tray 200 arrives, the sequence will be the same. After side plates 80 are vertically withdrawn below the level of tray carrier 22 on tray transport 24, tray carrier 22 is returned on tray transport 24 to input shuttle assembly 12 to receive another tray 200 of unmarked packaged ICs 202.
A significant feature of the laser marking system 10 is a particular wedge-type lift mechanism 60 (located as noted by reference numerals 20 on the previously referenced drawing figures) as depicted in various positions in
The uppermost vertical position of lift structure 78 of the lift mechanism 60 may obviously be designed in light of the level to which a tray 200 must be lifted. For example, when used with both input shuttle assembly 12 and output shuttle assembly 14, the uppermost vertical position of lift structure 78 (in this instance, 1.00 inch elevation) would be in supporting contact with the lowermost tray 200 in tray stack volume 46. When used with input shuttle assembly 12, the uppermost vertical position is used to supportingly engage the lowermost tray 200 in tray stack volume 46 and support it to permit retraction of tray support elements 50. When used with output shuttle assembly 14, the uppermost vertical position of lift structure 78 would be the same (1.00 inch) as for input shuttle assembly 12, that is, one tray thickness (i.e., 0.25 inch) higher than the bottom of the lowermost tray 200 in the tray stack volume, so that a tray 200 fill of marked IC packages 202 may be raised into lifting contact with the lowermost tray 200 of a stack (or, stated another way, so that notches 206 of the tray 200 being lifted by the lift structure 78 are above the tray support elements 50) so that the tray 200 being lifted from the tray carrier 22 (and trays 200 thereabove in the stack) may be supported by extended tray support elements 50. Thus, tray transport 24 with tray carrier 22 may be returned to input shuttle assembly 12 to receive another tray 200. When used with laser marking station 18, the uppermost vertical position of lift structure 78 is also the same (1.00 inch) and is employed to place a tray 200 on tray carrier 22 within a substantially bottomless, laser light safe enclosure, as will be described in more detail below.
As shown in
When lift mechanism 60 is employed with output shuttle assembly 14, the initial raised position of lift structure 78 is at 0.75 inch, wherein the bottom of a stack of trays 200 is contacted in supporting relationship by a tray 200 of marked IC packages 202. Then, tray support elements 50 are retracted to permit lift structure 78 movement to full vertical travel of 1.00 inch to lift the tray stack upwardly one tray thickness so that tray support elements 50 may be extended to support the stack by the newly added lowermost tray 200 just received from tray carrier 22. A complete tray output cycle sequence of positions of drive wedge element 70, slave wedge element 76, shaft 64′ and drive block 66 of a wedge-type lift mechanism 60 usable with an output shuttle assembly 14 according to one embodiment of the present invention is schematically depicted in
It may be desirable to include sensors in lift mechanism 60 to detect positions of drive block 66 and shaft 64 or 64′. For example, drive block 66 position may be sensed using magnetic proximity sensors, while the extension or retraction of shaft 64 or 64′ may be inductively sensed. Other types of sensors, for example, optical sensors or contact switches, might also be employed in this capacity.
In use with laser marking station 18, only drive block 66 is required in lift mechanism 60, since only two vertical positions are required. The first position of lift structure 78 corresponds to that shown in
Yet another significant feature (see
Referring to
Yet another significant feature of the laser marking system 10 of the present invention is the configuration of laser marking station 18. Specifically, laser marking station 18 employs a substantially bottomless enclosure 120 having four sides and a roof (see
It is preferred that two laser marking heads 140, under control of separate electronics and powered from a single laser output beam divided by a beam splitter, are focused on separate portions of a marking field within enclosure 120. Thus, a 6 inch by 12 inch marking field may be defined, affording the capability to mark IC packages 202 of an entire tray 200 without tray movement. A suitable laser marking device is the Model 1900, offered by General Scanning. To further ensure proper operation of the laser marking system 10 and provide additional assurance against premature actuation thereof, it may be appropriate to include sensors, such as optical or magnetic sensors, to sense the presence of a tray 200 in the laser marking field.
With respect to the tray handling aspects of the invention, it may also be desirable to provide sensors to sense when tray output shuttle assembly 14 is full of trays 200 and when a tray 200 has cleared the level of tray support elements 50. Similarly, tray input shuttle assembly 12 may employ a tray presence sensor to confirm that a tray 200 is, in fact, loaded onto tray carrier 22 and a stack presence sensor to detect when there are no more trays 200 present to be loaded onto tray carrier 22. Fiber-optic reflection-type sensors are one exemplary sensor technology which may be employed. In addition, such sensors may be employed to sense the position of the air cylinder shafts 64 and drive blocks 66 of lift mechanisms 60.
While the present invention has been described in the context of an illustrated embodiment, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that it is not so limited. Specifically and without limitation, additions or modifications to, or deletions from, the apparatus of the invention and its operation as described may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto. In addition, various elements and subassemblies of the overall system of the present invention as disclosed also individually and in various combinations are included within the ambit of the present invention.
Claims
1. A system for marking integrated circuit (IC) packages comprising:
- a plurality of trays, each tray being sized and configured to carry a plurality of discrete integrated circuit (IC) packages;
- a transport actuator including a tray transport;
- a tray carrier carried by, and unsecured to, the tray transport of the transport actuator for receiving at least one tray of IC packages of the plurality of trays;
- an input shuttle assembly for providing the at least one tray of IC packages to the tray carrier;
- an output shuttle assembly for receiving the at least one tray of IC packages from the tray carrier; and
- a laser marking station disposed adjacent a portion of the transport actuator between the input shuttle assembly and the output shuttle assembly.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the tray transport and a lower surface of the tray carrier include mutually cooperative physical structures.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mutually cooperative physical structures are adapted to align the tray carrier on the tray transport when the tray carrier is disposed thereon.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein portions of the mutually cooperative physical structures provide a fulcrum for tilting of the tray carrier with respect to the tray transport.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tray transport is rectangular, but for a corner severed therefrom adjacent the fulcrum.
6. The system of claim 5, further including a lifting device extendable to contact the tray carrier at a location remote from the fulcrum.
7. The system of claim 4, wherein the tray transport is of lesser longitudinal extent than the tray carrier.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the tray transport is rectangular, but for a corner severed therefrom adjacent the fulcrum.
9. The system of claim 7, further including a lifting device extendable to contact the tray carrier at a location remote from the fulcrum.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the lifting device is extendable from a location below the tray carrier and adjacent a longitudinal end of the tray transport.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tray carrier is substantially rectangular and includes a substantially planar upper surface having upwardly extending stops at each corner thereof.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tray carrier includes a portion of reduced width defined by mutually longitudinally coextensive elongated notches in parallel sides thereof.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tray carrier includes a plurality of downwardly facing notches in the parallel sides thereof.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of downwardly facing notches comprises two notches on each of the parallel sides of the tray carrier.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Dec 4, 2001
Date of Patent: Apr 22, 2008
Patent Publication Number: 20020038794
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc. (Boise, ID)
Inventors: Robert L. Canella (Nampa, ID), Tony T. Ibarra (Nampa, ID)
Primary Examiner: Jonathan Johnson
Attorney: TraskBritt
Application Number: 10/007,125
International Classification: B23K 26/02 (20060101);